Experts from the EU and US report that 2025 was the third hottest year on record.
2025 was the third hottest year on record, with global temperatures reaching the third-highest level ever recorded. Experts from the United States and Europe say there is little relief expected in 2026. The last 11 years are the warmest in recorded history. According to the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service and Berkeley Earth, 2024 was the hottest year, followed by 2023 and 2025.
Global temperatures reached the third-highest level ever recorded in 2025. According to experts and data from the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service and Berkeley Earth, 2025 was the third hottest year on record, following 2024 and 2023. Experts from the United States and Europe say there is little relief expected in 2026. The last 11 years are the warmest in recorded history.
For the first time, average global temperatures have remained more than 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels over the past three years. Copernicus highlighted this in its annual report. Berkeley Earth described the temperature rise from 2023 to 2025 as “extreme,” suggesting the planet’s warming is accelerating.
Paris Agreement Targets
The 2015 Paris Agreement aims to keep global warming below 2 degrees Celsius and ideally at 1.5 degrees. Scientists say reaching this target is essential to avoid severe climate impacts. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres warned that surpassing 1.5 degrees is “inevitable.” He added that the world can limit how long temperatures stay above this level by cutting greenhouse gas emissions quickly.
Copernicus reported that the 1.5-degree limit could be reached by the end of this decade, more than ten years earlier than predicted. Efforts to fight global warming faced a setback when US President Donald Trump announced plans to withdraw from the UN climate treaty. The United States is the second-largest emitter after China.
Record Temperatures and Global Impacts
2025 was the third hottest year, with global temperatures 1.47 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. This is slightly cooler than 2023 but lower than 2024, which rose 1.6 degrees. Around 770 million people experienced their warmest year ever where they live. No region recorded a colder-than-usual year, according to Berkeley Earth.
Polar regions also experienced extreme heat. Antarctica recorded its warmest year, while the Arctic had its second-highest temperatures. Central Asia, the Sahel region of Africa, and northern Europe also had their hottest years in 2025.
2026 Could Be Even Warmer
Experts warn that 2026 is unlikely to break the warming trend. If the El Nino weather phenomenon occurs, it could make 2026 another record-breaking year, said Carlo Bontemps, director of the Copernicus Climate Change Service.
“Temperatures are rising, and we are likely to see new records in the coming years. Whether it happens in 2026, 2027, or 2028 is less important. The direction is clear,” Bontemps said. According to Berkeley Earth, 2025 was the third hottest year, and 2026 will probably be the fourth-warmest year since 1850, with temperatures similar to those observed in 2025.
Emissions and Climate Challenges
Cutting greenhouse gas emissions, the main cause of global warming, remains a major challenge. Many developed countries are not reducing emissions fast enough. In the United States, emissions rose last year after two years of decline. Cold winters and growing energy demand from technologies like artificial intelligence contributed to higher energy use, according to the Rhodium Group think tank.
In Germany and France, the pace of emission reductions also slowed. Berkeley Earth chief scientist Robert Rohde said that while greenhouse gases are the main driver of warming, other factors may have added to the recent spike. One example is the 2020 international rule reducing sulfur in ship fuel. This improved air quality but may have reduced sunlight-reflecting aerosols, slightly increasing warming.
Regional Impacts
The rising heat has major impacts worldwide. Higher temperatures affect water supplies, agriculture, and human health. Central Asia, northern Europe, and parts of Africa experienced record heat, threatening crops and water resources.
Polar regions are also changing rapidly. Antarctica recorded its warmest year ever, raising concerns about ice melt and rising sea levels. The Arctic had its second-highest temperatures, affecting ecosystems and the global climate balance. Scientists warn that without urgent action, extreme weather, heatwaves, and other climate impacts will become more frequent and severe.
Conclusion
The year 2025 confirms a troubling trend of rising global temperatures. It was the third-warmest year on record, and experts warn 2026 is likely to continue the pattern. The world has already experienced three consecutive years above 1.5 degrees Celsius over pre-industrial levels.
This threshold, set by the Paris Agreement, is critical to prevent severe climate consequences. Unless governments act quickly to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to climate change, impacts on people, agriculture, water, and polar regions will worsen. Immediate and sustained global efforts are necessary to slow the warming trend and prevent more serious consequences in the near future.
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